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Welcome to Chateau Garage, a website by amateur winemakers dedicated to the amateur winemaker, drinker, taster, and buyer. In other words, the fun associated with wine making, evaluation and consumption…all on an amateur level, of course!

Having a little fun, with wine, is a main reason for this site. The key word here is “fun.” Fun, as in no wine snobbery here. Some of the best advice we ever heard about enjoying wine is this:

“Pop the cork and lap it up!”

These are the words of Roy Brady, editor of Wine World magazine, from a 1973 interview with one of Chateau Garage’s wine makers as part of a college course at USC.

It was good advice then, and certainly holds true today.

2016 Spartan Tailgate Wines

First a word about 2016 tastings:

As a result of San Jose State’s tailgating policy and parking lot changes, wine tastings are going to be difficult at best . . . if we have them at all. To wit:

The parking lot where we had tastings the past two years is no longer available. One of our crew has reserved an extra space or two in lot #2, but the cost for parking in lot #3 near the tailgating area is now $35.

The other parking lot, across 10th street, is still available, but parking is now $20. There is a possibility of continuing in the 10th street lot, but nothing definite has been established yet.

There is now a policy of no glass in the lots. We asked for clarification on this from the athletic department about our wine tastings in particular and were told that we have to use plastic wine glasses and we have to keep the wine bottles in the trunk. Nothing says class like drinking wine out of a trunk. I think while we’re at it, we should be sure and wrap our tasting bottles in used brown paper bags in keeping with the theme.

Bottom line: After 40 years of putting these events on, it is clear to me that San Jose State is absolutely clueless when it comes to community and fan relations . . . and they wonder why attendance remains so low. We will see what happens during the season, particularly to see if it is worth trying to continue with our wine tastings.

Stay tuned.

Date

Opponent

Time

Tasting Wine/Location

09/17/16

vs. Utah

7:30 p.m.

Pinot Noir (Lot #2, across from the main gate on 7th street – look for the Chateau Garage sign)

10/8/16

vs. Hawaii

1:30 p.m.

Cabernet Sauvignon (Check back here for location)

10/15/16

vs. Nevada

7:30 p.m.

Chianti (Sangiovese also acceptable. Check back here for location)

10/29/16

vs. UNLV

7:30 p.m.

Syrah (Check back here for location)

11/19/16

vs. Air Force

7:30 p.m.

Zinfandel (Check back here for location)

New Locations

Because of all the parking changes, the location will probably change as well. Watch the table above for more information.